"The Drowsy Chaperone" - Lisa Lambert, Greg Morrison, Bob Martin & Don McKellar - AFD Theatre (Arlington, MA.) - REVIEW
(Cover Photo: The CAST of the musical "THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" at AFD Theatre in Arlington, MA. until September 29, 2024. Photo Credit: Leslie Maiocca)
By Kevin T. Baldwin
METRMAG Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
“He was the Allbright Toothpaste man, which was really popular because the main ingredient was cocaine. It was the 5th one down on the list. Right after sugar."
- ("Man in Chair") / Bob Martin & Don McKellar
Arlington Friends of the Drama/AFD Theatre
Presents the Delightful Musical
"THE DROWSY CHAPERONE"
Music & Lyrics by Lisa Lambert & Greg Morrison
Book by Bob Martin & Don McKellar
Directed by Paul Murphy
Music Director Kathryn Denney
Choreographer Caroline Hubbard
Cast Includes: Nick Miller as “Man In Chair,” Kathy Lague as “Mrs. Tottendale,” Ian Flynn as “Underling,” Nick McKinnon as “Robert Martin,” Andrew Swansburg as “George,” Roberto “Robb” Laureles as “Feldzieg,” Larissa Lessard as “Kitty,” Joanne Robinson as “Gangster,” Madison Canfora as “Gangster,” Ben Gold as “Aldolpho,” Marissa J. Browning as “Janet Van De Graaf,” Becky Ruccio as “The Drowsy Chaperone,” Brittany Kamson as “Trix,” Ensemble: Avery Clements, Cathy Jones, Sally Jean-Baptiste, Will Sulahian, Matthew Armstrong
Additional Creative Team:
Production Managers - Colleen Locke, Ken Livak; Dance Captain - Cathy Jones; Stage Manager - Nadine Sa; Assistant Stage Managers - Henry Santiago, Yolanda Greaves, Ken Livak; Set Designer - Mark Rolli; Set Tech - Charlie Carr; Set Crew - Matt Armstrong, Iain Bason, Ralph Clifford, Doug Feinburg, Audrey Lewis, Ken Livak, Colleen Locke, Shayna Loeffler, Suzi Lubar, Mark Rolli, Ken Theriault, David Warnock, Ginger Webb, Hayley Whelan; Costume Designer - Shahn Knights; Costume Assistants - Kathy Booth, Linda Burtt, Cheryl Carter-Miller, Elizabeth Hoermann, Pat Kane; Hair and Make-up - Jeanne Callinan; Lighting Designer - Rich Greaves; Lighting Board Operator - Vyren Gray; Sound Designers/Operators - Lennie Chasse, Bob "Scuch" Pascucci; Sound Assistant - Schyler Bowditch; Props and Set Dressing - Charlotte Kelley; Props Assistant - Jenn Butler; Fight Coordinator - Amy DeMar-DuBois; Intimacy Coordinator - Katie Swimm.
AFD THEATRE, 22 Academy Street, Arlington, MA. 02476
Performances:
September 13, 2024 through September 29, 2024
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
TICKETS:
For more information or tickets, contact AFD THEATRE at www.afdtheatre.org/buy-tickets or by calling the box office at # 781-646-5922 or emailing boxoffice@afdtheatre.org.
COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
Contact Venue for Most Updated COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Information.
The comical multi-Tony Award-winning musical "THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" lands in Arlington courtesy of the Arlington Friends of the Drama (aka AFD Theatre) and is great fun, indeed.
The cast, which also doubles as part of the stage crew, keep the show moving at a brisk pace, which is good since the show runs as one act for an hour and 40 minutes without an intermission.
The musical farce "THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" was created through the collaborative efforts of Lisa Lambert, Greg Morrison, Bob Martin and Don McKellar, and harkens back to an era when stage musicals had an innocence, enthusiasm and charm hard to reproduce in today's far more jaded world.
Much of the audience enjoyment of "CHAPERONE" comes in the form of the obvious enthusiasm conveyed by the show’s cast.
"THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" won a Tony Award for script and score written by Martin and McKellar with music and lyrics by Lambert and Morrison.
The AFD production is ideally staged by director Paul Murphy with fine choreography by Caroline Hubbard; and the impressive backstage live orchestra and entire cast is guided ably by music director Kathryn Denney.
The show starts off in unusual fashion, with no overture and with the stage and theatre both dark.
From the darkness, the only thing we hear is a man’s voice.
As lights come up, we see that the voice is coming from a mysterious “Man in Chair” (Nick Miller), who becomes our guide for AFD Theatre's "THE DROWSY CHAPERONE."
Sitting in his ragged chair, the young man wears a simple shirt and sweater combo, quietly reflecting on the fulfilling world of theatre.
He sits alone in his apartment, appearing to be devoid of any fulfillment.
Miller had a slightly concerning start at the September 13th performance, as he seemed to be trying for a Woody Allen impression, which clearly wasn’t working.
However, once the lights came up, he completely fell into his character of the amiable Man in Chair, who tells the audience of his currently isolated lifestyle.
Through Miller’s infectious portrayal, the Man in Chair confesses his loneliness - which he refers to as “feeling blue” - is eased solely by listening to his vast record (yes “record”) collection of Broadway shows.
Miller as our guide performs his part well, keeping us interested.
We even become genuinely concerned about his character as the musical progresses.
(Photo: Nick Miller as the “Man In Chair” who introduces us to the hilarious musical "THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" now playing at AFD Theatre in Arlington, MA. until September 29, 2024. Photo Credit: Leslie Maiocca)
The Man in Chair places onto a turntable a scratchy, skipping, old record pulled out of his assortment of early musicals.
For his – and our – entertainment, he has selected the fictitious long lost gem of a late 1920s musical entitled "THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" written by the equally fictitious “Julie Gable” and “Sidney Stein.”
It should be made clear to those seeing the show for the first time that the images represented on stage in "THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" are coming from the Man in Chair's mind and are based upon his years of listening to the recording.
How closely these images come to the actual staged performance of the show we will never know...nor will we be able to dispute, since it is fictional.
However, the above does free up both the creative team and cast to experiment which has resulted in a simply sensational production.
Within moments, the Man in Chair’s recording transports us to the “Tottendale Estate.”
The set design for "THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" fills the entire AFD Theatre stage space allowing for a great ease of access with characters entering and exiting from various points.
One of the fascinating aspects of the show is in how the Man in the Chair describes not only the show’s premise but also providing us a few gossipy background notes on each of the actors who appear on the “cast recording” being played.
We are introduced to musical’s famous leading lady, beautiful bride-to-be Janet Van De Graaff (Marissa J. Browning).
Browning is captivating as the radiant and multi-talented Janet, showcased well as she performs the multi-faceted musical number, “Show Off.”
Janet is intent on abandoning her career to marry oil tycoon Robert (Nick McKinnon).
As "THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" begins, it is the day of the couple’s wedding and all the guests are arriving.
McKinnon is disarming as the jaunty, occasionally goofy and, above all else, an (intentionally) scenery-chewing Robert.
(Photo: Marissa J. Browning as “Janet Van De Graaf” with the CAST of the musical "THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" at AFD Theatre in Arlington, MA. until September 29, 2024. Photo Credit: Leslie Maiocca)
As the audience centers their attention on the "CHAPERONE" (again = fictitious) story and characters, the Man in Chair fills us in on the actors who performed in the musical.
Janet is the star draw for "Feldzieg's Follies" with distraught producer, Mr. Feldzieg (Robb Laureles).
Larissa Lessard gave a hysterical performance as “Kitty,” the blonde, ditzy "wanna-be-star" girlfriend of producer Feldzieg, with multiple moments showcasing her adeptness at physical comedy on display.
Feldzieg is threatened by two gangsters disguised as pastry chefs, played well together by Joanne Robinson and Madison Canfora.
Feldzieg enlists lothario Aldolpho (Ben Gold) to seduce Janet in order to stop the wedding. Gold gives a spot-on performance as Aldolpho and provides some of the shows’ biggest laughs and scene stealing moments.
(Photo: Becky Ruccio as “The Drowsy Chaperone” with Ben Gold as lothario “Aldolpho,” in a scene from the musical "THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" at AFD Theatre in Arlington, MA. until September 29, 2024. Photo Credit: Leslie Maiocca)
Janet’s groom Robert teams up with Robert’s best man, George (Andy Swansburg), for the highly entertaining two-man tapper, “Cold Feet.”
McKinnon and Swansburg are quite good together, but it seems it is Swansburg who actually comes across more at ease with the tap number, even though it is Robert who talks him into dancing in the first place.
McKinnon later impresses, though, at the blindfolded roller-skating required in Robert's duet with Janet, “Accident Waiting to Happen.”
In the (intentionally) upstaging role of "THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" herself is Becky Ruccio, who does not disappoint giving possibly the best performance in the show.
Ruccio's rousing rendition of “As We Stumble Along,” as “stupefying” as the lyrics might be, is one of the musical highlights of the entire show.
(Photo: Marissa J. Browning as “Janet” opposite a blindfolded Nick McKinnon as “Robert” in a scene from the musical "THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" at AFD Theatre in Arlington, MA. until September 29, 2024. Photo Credit: Leslie Maiocca)
Kathy Lague renders a fine performance as the absentminded “Mrs. Tottendale” who equally charms and annoys her beleaguered butler, Underling (Ian Flynn).
Lague and Flynn seem to have genuine affection for one another, especially in the 'lovely' duet, “Love is Always Lovely.”
Costumes for AFD's "THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" were in keeping with the jubilant spirit of the show’s fictitiously presented time period.
It should be noted, though, that the Man in Chair is just imagining what they show MAY have looked when presented nearly a century ago (and with having never actually seen it).
"CHAPERONE" never disappoints because it is clever, energetic and most enjoyably lighthearted of musicals.
"THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" soon brings us into the story and we soon feel as if we are having just as good a time as the cast appears to be having.
(Photo: The CAST of the musical "THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" at AFD Theatre in Arlington, MA. until September 29, 2024. Photo Credit: Leslie Maiocca)
The talented AFD Theatre Ensemble for the production also deserves high praise - functioning as multiple characters, some requiring extremely expedited costume changes, and taking on much of the set redress as needed.
Among the musical highlights included in "THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" are the cleverly staged/choreographed “Bride's Lament,” "I Do, I Do in the Sky" and “Toledo Surprise.”
"THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" continues at AFD Theatre in Arlington until September 29th and is a musical well worth seeing...especially if you're feeling a little blue.
Coming up next at AFD Theatre will be "LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY" by Topher Payne beginning December 6th and running through December 15th, 2024 .
For more information or tickets, contact AFD Theatre at www.afdtheatre.org/buy-tickets or call the box office at # 781-646-5922 or email boxoffice@afdtheatre.org.
Approximately 90 minutes with no intermission
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
A refreshing musical cocktail that’s like a bubble bath for your heart. But with tap dancing. And spit takes.
A comfortable chair with an old record crackling away is the perfect cure for the “blues” for a charming but lonely “Man in Chair”, our guide into the world of the show-within-a-show, "THE DROWSY CHAPERONE."
His favorite cast album from the Jazz Age comes to fizzy life complete with a self-admiring showgirl, her gin-soaked chaperone, a saucy Latin lover, a bumbling best man, a clueless soon-to-be groom, and a cornucopia of characters from a befuddled producer, to a dippy hostess and gangsters posing as pastry chefs.
This bubbly love letter to musical theater sparkles with one show-stopper after another, mix-ups, mayhem, and a wedding (or two). "THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" is the winner of five Tony awards, including best book and musical score.
ABOUT ARLINGTON FRIENDS OF THE DRAMA/AFD THEATRE
ARLINGTON FRIENDS OF THE DRAMA, now known as AFD THEATRE, was founded in 1923 and is one of the ten oldest continually operating community theatre groups in the country. Now located in the former St. John's Episcopal Church, which has been extensively updated and made handicap-accessible. AFD THEATRE is among the finest area playhouses for actors, directors, production designers and audiences to produce and enjoy live theatre.About AFD THEATRE SeasonsAFD THEATRE puts on four productions: two musicals and two straight plays. AFD THEATRE holds auditions months ahead, and rehearse evenings and weekends. AFD THEATRE welcomes you to join the fun: help build sets, make costumes, do lights. Usher or sell concessions. AFD THEATRE is a community endeavor that seeks to engage all ages in the fun and exciting act of putting on a play!
22 Academy Street
Arlington, MA 02476
# 781-646-5922
